US President Joe Biden on Wednesday announced sanctions on companies involved in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline in retaliation for Russian military actions in eastern Ukraine.
In a statement, Biden said the sanctions affect the company responsible for building and operating the pipeline, Nord Stream 2 AG, which is registered in Switzerland.
The company belongs to Gazprom, the Russian energy sector giant, and so the measure is aimed at it.
The US has for years opposed the construction of Nord Stream 2 on the grounds that it would increase Europe’s dependence on Russian gas, but last year Biden agreed to have the pipeline completed by lifting sanctions he reinstated on Wednesday. .
The move comes a day after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced the suspension of the pipeline certification process, which was completed last year, in response to Russia’s recognition of the independence of the self-proclaimed breakaway republics of Donetsk and Lugansk in eastern Ukraine.
Biden also made a thinly-veiled attack on Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying his latest decisions have given the world “an overwhelming incentive” to stop importing gas, oil and other forms of energy from the country, which account for a large part of Kremlin income.
The 1,235 km Nord Stream 2 was built with the aim of transporting Russian gas directly to Germany without passing through Ukraine, which deprived the country of an important source of income as it charged Russia a fee to leave the gas. pass through its territory.
Moscow opted to build Nord Stream 2 after the so-called “gas wars” of 2006 and 2009, in which disagreements between Russia and Ukraine – then the main Russian gas route – led to supply cuts and higher energy prices. in Europe.
Biden already announced on Tuesday a first package of sanctions against Russia, targeting two financial institutions, Moscow’s sovereign debt and Russian elites and their families.
#Biden #imposes #sanctions #companies #participating #Nord #Stream #pipeline